In ESPN’s post-draft edition of their power rankings, the Indianapolis Colts’ fell two spots, dropping from 16th to 18th.
Now at No. 16 is the Chicago Bears, followed by the New York Jets at No. 17. Just behind the Colts are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 19 and the Atlanta Falcons at No. 20.
In the draft, the Colts were able to tackle two of their biggest needs and found tremendous value in doing so. Laiatu Latu, who many considered the top pass rusher in this year’s class, bolsters the Colts’ defensive front, while Adonai Mitchell, who was widely considered a first-round talent, fell to the Colts at pick 52 and provides that needed playmaking presence.
A ‘power panel’ of 80-plus writers, editors, and TV personalities contribute to ESPN’s power rankings. This is only a guess on my part, but I have to think the Colts falling two spots was more so about this group of decision-makers being more impressed with a few other draft classes rather than not thinking highly of what the Colts did.
The cornerback position – along with pass rusher and receiver – was the Colts’ other biggest perceived need going into the draft, and they didn’t address it until the fifth round. This also could have been a factor in a two-spot drop in the rankings.
Like every team, the Colts have some unknowns. Outside of Kenny Moore in the nickel and Julian Blackmon at strong safety, the two boundary spots and free safety role are ‘wide open,’ as defensive coordinator Gus Bradley put it. Anthony Richardson is also a relatively inexperienced player, so growing pains still may be apart of the equation.
However, with that said, there is a to like about this Colts team as well. Although Richardson’s rookie season was cut shot, we saw glimpses of just how impactful he can be.
The Colts also return all five players from what was one of the best offensive line units in football, ranking top 10 in both yards per carry and pressure rate. Jonathan Taylor is fully healthy and able to attack the offseason, while Adonai Mitchell provides that playmaking presence the Colts needed at reciever. GM Chris Ballard has also built what should be an incredibly disruptive defensive front.
The most significant non-draft offseason additions that the Colts made were Raekwon Davis and Joe Flacco. Instead, Ballard prioritized continuity and retaining his own players. With continuity, players know what the expectations are, the roles within the offensive and defensive systems, and the terminology. It is oftentimes in the second season with a head coach that teams make their biggest strides.
“When you have your system in place, it helps big time, especially with the players understanding the verbiage and terminology,” Shane Steichen said. “But really trying to stay on the cutting edge of things because this league is always changing. So if we can do that and build on what we did last year, I’ll be excited for the 2024 season.”
What a team looks like on paper in mid-May ultimately doesn’t mean much, but the recipe for a successful 2024 season is certainly there for the Colts.
